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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerApple iPhone 14 vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
If you are torn between Apple iPhone 14 and Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, this breakdown is for you. We compare specs, pros, and cons so you can decide confidently.
Ratings: 4.8★ vs 4.8★
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Apple iPhone 14
★4.8
(1,511)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic chip (5nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A15 Bionic)
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
★4.8
(126)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
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Comparison: Apple iPhone 14 vs Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 14
★4.8(1,511)Best Buy
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
★4.8(126)Best Buy
| Criterion | Apple iPhone 14 | Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.8(1,511)Best Buy | ★4.8(126)Best Buy |
Operating System | iOS | iOS |
Software Support | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | Apple A15 Bionic chip (5nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) | Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing) |
Graphics | Apple 5-core GPU (A15 Bionic) | Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro) |
RAM | 6 GB (LPDDR4X) | 12 GB (LPDDR5X) |
Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.1" (6.06" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) | 6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi) | 2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 60 Hz | Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz) |
Peak Brightness | 800 nits max (typical); 1200 nits peak (HDR) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum |
Main Camera | 12MP Main (26 mm, f/1.5), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, Photonic Engine for better low-light performance | 48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) | 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography |
Telephoto Camera | No dedicated telephoto lens; Digital zoom only beyond 1x | 48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent) |
Optical Zoom | 0.5x, 1x (2x optical zoom out range) | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 5x | Up to 40x |
Video Recording | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps |
Front Camera | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps | 18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 3279 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) | 5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | Lightning; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W | MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (First-generation); NFC with reader mode | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode |
USB | Lightning connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s) | USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Glass back | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber) |
Dimensions | 5.78" x 2.82" x 0.31" (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm) | 6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm) |
Weight | 6.07 oz (172 g) | 8.22 oz (233 g) |
Biometrics | Face ID | Face ID |
Extras | Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Dual eSIM (US models); Ring/Silent switch | Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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Apple iPhone 14
Rating:★4.8(1,511)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A15 Bionic chip (5nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A15 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR4X)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.1" (6.06" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2532 x 1170 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Peak Brightness:800 nits max (typical); 1200 nits peak (HDR)
Main Camera:12MP Main (26 mm, f/1.5), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, Photonic Engine for better low-light performance
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; Digital zoom only beyond 1x
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x (2x optical zoom out range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 5x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3279 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:Lightning; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (First-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:Lightning connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s)
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Glass back
Dimensions:5.78" x 2.82" x 0.31" (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80 mm)
Weight:6.07 oz (172 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Dual eSIM (US models); Ring/Silent switch
✓ Pros:
- • Affordable entry point into the modern mainline iPhone ecosystem
- • Reliable A15 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU still performs well
- • Lightweight and compact 6.1-inch design
- • Excellent build quality with Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating
- • Autofocus on the front-facing TrueDepth camera
✗ Cons:
- • Uses the older Lightning port instead of USB-C
- • Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion)
- • No optical zoom for telephoto (only digital)
- • Not compatible with newer Qi2 wireless charging standard (limited to MagSafe/Qi)
- • Dynamic Island not available (uses the older notch design)
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Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Rating:★4.8(126)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A19 Pro chip (3nm; 6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine; hardware-accelerated ray tracing)
Graphics:Apple 6-core GPU with Neural Accelerators (A19 Pro)
RAM:12 GB (LPDDR5X)
Storage:256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.9" (6.86" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2868 x 1320 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:Up to 120 Hz (ProMotion adaptive 1-120Hz)
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 3000 nits peak (outdoor); 1 nit minimum
Main Camera:48MP Fusion Main (24 mm, f/1.78), 2nd-gen sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for 24MP and 48MP super-high-resolution photos
Ultra-Wide Camera:48MP Fusion Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.2, 120° field of view), Hybrid Focus Pixels, 48MP macro photography
Telephoto Camera:48MP Fusion Telephoto (100 mm, f/2.8), tetraprism design, 3D sensor-shift OIS, autofocus; enables 12MP optical-quality 8x zoom (200 mm equivalent)
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical-quality zoom steps (16x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 40x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60/100/120 fps (Fusion Main); ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
Front Camera:18MP Center Stage (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:5088 mAh (Li-ion, eSIM model); Up to 39 hours video playback (35 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 25W (with 30W+ adapter); Qi2 up to 25W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 6.0; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); Thread networking technology; NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 3 speeds (up to 10 Gb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield 2 front; Ceramic Shield back; Aerospace-grade aluminum unibody (with internal vapor chamber)
Dimensions:6.43" x 3.07" x 0.34" (163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm)
Weight:8.22 oz (233 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Apple Intelligence support; Camera Control button; Action button; Dynamic Island; Always-On display; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor)
- • Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom
- • A19 Pro chip with 12GB RAM and vapor chamber cooling for sustained performance
- • Excellent battery life (up to 39 hours video playback)
- • Faster 40W wired charging and 25W wireless charging
✗ Cons:
- • Large and heavy form factor (233 g)
- • Fastest charging speeds require purchasing a 40W+ adapter separately
- • No physical SIM tray (eSIM only in US)
- • Expensive starting price
- • Camera bump is significantly larger due to new tetraprism lens
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Which one is better?
Based on ratings and feature balance, Apple iPhone 14 has a slight edge for overall satisfaction. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max remains a strong alternative if its strengths match your needs.
Who should buy each?
Choose Apple iPhone 14 if:
- You want Affordable entry point into the modern mainline iPhone ecosystem, Reliable A15 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU still performs well
- Rating: 4.8★ (1511 reviews)
Choose Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max if:
- You prefer Brightest iPhone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor), Triple 48MP camera system with 8x optical-quality zoom
- Rating: 4.8★ (126 reviews)
Conclusion
There is no wrong answer here. Focus on the features you will use daily and pick the model that aligns with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Apple iPhone 14 excels if you value affordable entry point into the modern mainline iphone ecosystem. Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max is better if you prioritize brightest iphone display ever (3000 nits peak outdoor). Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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